South Africa's soccer boss Kirsten Nematandani was yesterday forced to step aside after at first refusing to do so voluntarily.

Nematandani, the president of the South African Football Association, and four other senior members of the federation were suspended as the local game was plunged into its worst crisis, just a month from the Africa Cup of Nations on home soil.

At the centre of the crisis is a match-fixing scandal that involved the Bafana team and took place shortly before the 2010 World Cup.

According to a report by world governing body Fifa, it appears that Safa was duped by a crime syndicate, Football 4U International, headed by convicted match-fixer Wilson Raj Perumal.

The scam by Perumal will now be subjected to an inquiry by a judge.

Until that investigation is completed, Nematandani will be suspended, along with new Safa chief executive Dennis Mumble, the Safa head of national teams Lindile "Ace" Kika, referees boss Adeel Carelse and Bafana manager Barney Kujane.

Safa made it clear that none of the five was implicated in any wrongdoing.

"These suspensions were necessary for good governance and for allowing this matter to be thoroughly and properly investigated," said outgoing chief executive Robin Petersen, who had been due to hand over to Mumble next month. Instead Pinky Lehoko will return as acting CEO.

The acting president of Safa, Chief Mwelo Nonkonyana, said: "This action in no way implies that these individuals were involved in match-fixing".

But he added that a letter in the report suggested that Nematandani met Perumal and gave him the go-ahead for the tainted matches.

"The president has . been asked to give evidence at the inquiry like all the other people mentioned," said Nonkonyana.

The Fifa report, numbering 500 pages, follows an investigation by the organisation's security department of Bafana matches against Thailand, Bulgaria, Colombia and Guatemala in the weeks leading up to the 2010 World Cup.

Perumal offered to arrange, and pay for, the friendlies as well as provide referees. The referees fixed the matches, according to the Fifa report, making dubious decisions on offsides and penalties.

Safa's emergency committee advised Nematandani twice to step down after his name had been mentioned in the Fifa report.

When he refused, the organisation suspended him, a source told Sowetan.

Nematandani told Sowetan yesterday he would not comment until he had been officially informed by Safa in writing.

"I was not at the (Safa) press conference (yesterday) and I have also not received any letter from the federation, so I cannot comment at this stage," he said.

Nematandani was asked to recuse himself from the meeting of the emergency committee last Friday when the Fifa report was first discussed. Yesterday, Nonkonyana said Safa had apologised to Fifa.

He said it would also hand the report to the police and Hawks, at Fifa's suggestion.

Nonkonyana said the report did not implicate any of the Bafana players.

"The allegations are damaging. It's a serious matter, hence we have decided that we should get to the bottom of it with a tribunal that is credible," said Nonkonyana.

Leslie Sedibe, who was Safa CEO at the time of the alleged match-fixing, said he would study the Fifa report and would cooperate fully with the inquiry, adding that he had "nothing to do with this Perumal guy". "Ace dealt with him," Sedibe said yesterday.

Kujane also offered to "cooperate with Safa on this matter".

Nonkonyana said the Fifa report would not affect the Afcon finals.